Abstract
In this paper, we report synthesis of nano-crystalline diamond (n-C diamond) films using DC-plasma assisted hot filament chemical vapor deposition. The films are characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The films were found to be uniform and well adherent to crystalline ⟨100⟩ and ⟨111⟩ on silicon substrates. Comparative studies were carried out using field emission microscopy and conductive atomic force microcopy to investigate the mechanism of electron transport across the n-C diamond films in far field and near field geometries. The former is important in the context of field emission display devices, and the latter is important as a gate electrode for field effect transistors. The I–V characteristics in both the cases obeyed the Fowler–Nordheim equation. Various parameters, viz., turn-on voltage, threshold voltage, and field enhancement factors, were estimated. The power spectral density of noise in field electron emission current exhibited P(f) = A·I2/f2 behavior. The results are discussed in the light of the present understanding of the mechanism of field emission from n-C diamond films.
Highlights
The formation of a nanographatic phase is formed either in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process[11] or ion implantation and post growth annealing at an elevated temperature
We report some studies on ND films
ND films have been synthesized by using the plasma enhanced CVD method
Summary
Diamonds and their related films have attracted great attention because of several beneficial properties.[1,2,3,4,5] More recently, nanodiamonds (NDs) have gained considerable importance in the context of development of field emission electron sources due to their superior electron emission properties along with excellent chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties, large grain boundary density, non-diamond components (especially sp2-bonded carbon clusters), and low or negative electron affinity (NEA).[6,7,8,9,10] In ND films, the sp[2] bonded carbon atoms play an important role in the enhancement of field electron emission properties. The authors explained the enhancement in field electron emission due to oxidation of carbon (formation of C==O and C–O) at the grain boundary and the subsequent decrease in the content of sp[3] carbon.[24] In the present work, we report some studies on ND films.
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